Fishing

Jamey Caldwell’s explains why he loves the new 4” Ocho for drop shot fishing for Smallmouth. With eight sides and salt and coffee scent, this lure produces a unique action that triggers a strike and keeps fish holding on. Watch the video below to learn more.  Hey guys. Jamey Caldwell, Strike King Pro, ICAST 2018. We're in the Strike King booth. We're talking about some of the brand new product that we've got out. One of the things I wanna tell you about is a new size in the Ocho. So, you're familiar, we've got four different sizes of the Ocho, all the way up to a seven inch. The deal with the Ocho, Ocho is eight sides. You have eight different sides to that bait, which is gonna give it a different action as it falls, and it puts out a different vibration to the fish. It keys them in on something different. That's always what we w... Read more

Long regarded as the top shelf reel for trolling for salmon, steelhead, and walleye in the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes the Shimano Tekota has finally come available in a left-hand model. The redesigned Tekota A comes in spool sizes of 500 and 600 are more compact, possess faster gear ratios to keep up with hard running fish, and are more compact than ever. Watch the video below to learn more.   Guy 1: So we’re here with Paul with Shimano and they’ve come out with the new Tekota left-hand linecounter reel in the 500 and 600 spool size. Anglers have been asking for this for a long time so I’m going to let him talk a little bit about this reel. Paul: Exactly, so this new 500 Tekota comes in a left-hand model. We’ve changed all kinds of features. It’s way more palmable, it’s the 20% reduction in the size of the reel itself... Read more

Savage Gear once again pushes the envelope on the hard lure market with their new 3D snake. I admit I was a skeptic and I saw it swim. With two attachment points, this lure can dive or be fished as a wake bait. Watch the video below to learn more.  Hey guys, I’m Matt from Savage Gear. I’m here at ICAST in Orlando and I’m here with North 40 Outfitters and I’ve got exciting news for you, the snake. Savage 3D snake, we got two sizes here. A full 12-inch beautiful swim bait then a little baby snake here an eight incher. You’ve got two tie points, one that will dive about a foot under the surface and then you have a wake bait right at the bill there. What’s really cool is the spinning trebles. So built-in swivels so the fish can’t throw the bait. We got four brilliant colors for you right here, we got the rattlesnake, the bla... Read more

Fully waterproof and airtight the new Yeti Panga backpack will keep your gear dry whether you are riding your bike to work wading the flats. Available with an optional Sidekick dry detachable pocket that locks up watertight with Velcro and magnet. Watch the video below to learn more. Did you know Yeti doesn't just make backpacks? Check out their other gear.    Hey guys this is Jake Drees with Yeti at the Yeti booth. We’re here hanging with North 40 Outfitters, ICAST 2018. We’re just showing off our new Panga 28 Backpack. This thing is fully waterproof, airtight, submersible if you could sink it. It’s the new thing we’re pumped about right now. It’s kind of an expansion from where we’ve been. It’s not a cooler, so this thing is not insulated, but it’s got this big long zipper you can pull open and see the full con... Read more

Shimano’s new baitcasting reel, the Curado DC, opens up the world of baitcasting to even the most inexperienced angler. Housed securely inside the reel is a micro-computer, powered by the spool spinning, that will automatically control spool speed to prevent backlash whether you are throwing heavy or light tackle. Watch the video below to learn more. Check out our other top picks from ICAST 2018.    Hey guys, I’m Keith Combs. We’re here at ICAST. I’m here with the North 40 Outfitters guys and we’re talking about new products. One that I am really excited about, as well as everybody here at ICAST, is the Curado DC. DC 150 so that means it’s a 150 size spool and what DC means is digital control. So digital control has been around for a while, but if you haven’t used a reel that has it what it basically means is you h... Read more

Hi everybody.  I’ve been getting lots of e-mails and calls asking me what the steelhead run is looking like this year and what we can expect in the future.  So, I figured it was time to give you all an update. This particular update is going to focus on Idaho’s hatchery returns as they are the ones that provide us our fisheries and these are the fish most people are asking me about.  I am going to break this update down into two sections.  One will focus on the hatchery steelhead that are returning to the Salmon River and Snake River upstream of the Salmon (A-run populations) and the other will focus on the Clearwater River return (B-run population).  A-Run Populations (Upper Salmon River and Snake River) For those of you who have been tracking the dam counts, you are probably aware that this year’s steelhead counts at Bonnevi... Read more

ICAST for the uninitiated is like walking onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. It’s a thrilling feeling that hits you with a ton of energy. It’s the place you want to be if you want to be on the cutting edge of the fishing industry. People attend because they expect to see to the newest technology in fishing tackle. And, they expect to get a feel for where the sport is going. For those already familiar with ICAST, this year’s show seemed more grounded compared to last year’s show. It was our impression that vendors really listened to anglers and then developed products that built upon existing technologies. Of all that we saw, here is the best of ICAST 2018 we think you should know about.   Shimano Curado DC Baitcasting Reel We first saw this reel in our ICAST: A First Look. Because we think it is a game changer, i... Read more

ICAST is the greatest sportfishing industry event in the world. There is a lot to take in and it can be overwhelming. We thought this year’s ICAST first look preview was innovative with a lot of diversity in game fishing tackle. Eager to showcase their newest selection, vendors did not disappoint us. In fact, here are our top ten picks, with an honorable mention.   1. Shimano Curado DC Baitcasting Reel A game changer, the Shimano Curado DC Baitcasting Reel lets you say goodbye to backlashes. Featuring a braking system that utilizes a microcomputer to monitor spool speed, the Curado DC applies the perfect amount of brake to prevent backlash and optimize distance.   2. LIVETARGET Hollow Body Crawfish Natural looking, this hollow body craw delivers lively action with claws and a skirt designed to get down to where deep water sma... Read more

There are few baits more effective at enticing a fish to strike than a jerkbait. Effective in cold water they can wake a lethargic bass from its slumber, or entice ferocious strikes during prime feeding season. Of course, jerkbaits aren't limited to bass fishing and are an effective means of targeting a wide variety of gamefish including big stripers and are deadly in the salt for snook, mackerel, and redfish. The Big Brother The success of the 3.5", size 9, RipStop begged Rapala to build a bigger version. Like the smaller version, the new RipStop 12 has the same unique lip on the tail that results in hard stops after fast rips all on a 4.5" body. This lure can be worked strongly in a tight spot to pull fish out of nearby cover. Fine scaling details, holographics, and a diversity of bait fish and vibrant color schemes are enough to stimu... Read more

Riding high from Jordan Lee’s back-to-back Bassmaster Classic win, Strike King has a lot to celebrate this year. They recently stopped by the home office and gave us a preview of upcoming new colors, sizes and lures they will be showcasing at this year’s 2018 ICAST. Here are some of our favorites… Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Ocho 4” The one that helped Jordan Lee capture the 2018 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell, the Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Ocho has new color extensions this year. Named Ocho, cause it’s got eight sides, this bait delivers awesome action and light reflection. Super soft plastic with a heavy salt content formulation, the Ocho has Strike King’s exclusive Coffee Scent technology which helps mask human scent and oils and attracts fish to bite. Body Length: 4” Strike King Hack Attack Pad Perch ... Read more

The new Curado K is the new version of the well known Curado 200 I. The new features include Micro module Gear system and the Stable Spool design, providing a more efficient gear train with a smoother, more positive feel. The combination of CI4+ body and the aluminum frame makes the Curado 200 K very tough but still lightweight. The SVS infinity braking system controls spool speed for precision casting, making it also possible to cast lighter lures while fishing for bass. This reel is designed to fit the needs of freshwater predator fisherman but is also able to withstand the tough saltwater conditions due to the 4 Shielded A-RB + 2 Shielded Stainless Steel ball bearings. The 6.2:1 provides the most power and is the best choice when fishing big lures with a lot of water resistance which his the best choice for fishing where fast response... Read more

North 40 discusses the new Concept Z Baitcasting reels from 13 Fishing at the 2017 ICAST Show in Orlando. Concept Z for ZERO ball bearings! Huge Thanks to Flukemaster for helping us out with this introduction to the latest from 13. The First ever high performance casting reel manufacture with zero ball bearings. With cast that defy gravity and everything else, the Concept Z utilises American made CBZ polymer technology to deliver shocking results. This reel cast lures significantly further than reels with traditional ball bearings. The CBZ technology Concept quiet, effortless and controllable. Once you hook up, the 22 lb Bulldog drag and Japanese Hamai cut gearing do the rest, all you have to do is turn the handle. Zero Ball Bearing Design 22 lb Bulldog drag Super Quiet Corrosion Resistant Watch the video below to learn more or purch... Read more